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How do fireworks maim?

Around the 4th of July, we are once again hearing the annual warnings from the fire department about the dangers of handling fireworks. They say that firecrackers can blow off your fingers or even your hand (I believe them).
This got me wondering, is just a sudden, violent puff of air sufficient to take off a digit, hand, or limb? Is that just it, or is there something else that goes on? What exactly happens?
Pardon me if sound grossly ignorant on this topic. I don’t know how else to express it.